The present invention relates as indicated to a fill assembly for cooling towers, and relates more particularly to a fill assembly which can be used with both counterflow and cross-flow air movement.
Cooling towers are designed to cool water entering the top thereof and withdrawn from the bottom, and are commonly characterized by the provision of fill slats or bars packed within the tower and designed to break the water stream or large drops. This facilitates the commingling of the water and air to produce cooling of the water. The fill slats or splash bars are normally vertically and laterally offset whereby the water droplets are deflected laterally from the fill surface to similar slats or bars positioned below so that maximum water break-up and consequent cooling is effected. The terms "fill", "fill slats", "fill bars", "splash bars" and "fill splash bars" are used in the art to commonly designate members which accomplish the indicated function, and for purposes of simplicity, the term "fill" will be used hereinafter.
Recently, plastic has been used increasingly for fill, due to cost and other considerations. Plastic fill, due primarily to its lower density, has caused problems with regard to stability during use, and various retaining means have been developed to retain the fill in place. In a typical installation, the fill is supported horizontally in the cooling tower by a grid of vertical and horizontal support wires suspended in the tower. The fill is positioned between the vertical wires. Due to several factors, including uneven vertical loading on the fill during use, there is a tendency for the fill to creep longitudinally and to tip or roll between the vertical wires, thereby creating a need for retaining or stabilizing means to maintain the bars in their horizontal position. Vertical loading can result from a heavy water load, long term accumulation of algae, and ice formation, particularly at the sides of the tower.